Tag: Mindfulness

“You’re braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.”

Namaste! Did you know that May is National Mental Health Awareness Month? In my opinion, it should be mental health awareness day, every day. As NAMI asks, “Why care?” Because 1 in 5 people will be affected by mental illness in their lifetime. Many do not disclose struggles with mental health/mental illness due to stigma, shame and others’ general lack of understanding. Don’t let not knowing what to say prevent you from reaching out to someone who may be battling depression, anxiety or a more serious mental illness, or getting help for them.

I have struggled with anxiety for as long as I can remember. I hide it well. Many times I’ve been told that I appear to be a calm, peaceful person. Inside, however, it’s often a different story. Yoga has helped me tremendously as I’ve gotten older to feel and stay grounded. And music is one of my first go-to’s when feeling stressed. Yes, I listen to really loud music in my car on the way in to work and on the way home after work! Lately, I’ve been listening to the “Songs that Saved My Life” playlist on Spotify (as well as a lot of 80’s music). Songs that Saved My Life is a charity compilation of songs for mental health awareness and suicide prevention. The album is centered around music that played a pivotal role in the lives of artists and fans that benefits mental health and suicide prevention charities. Artists cover versions of songs that helped them get through tough times and share those stories.

The art piece above was inspired by wanting to promote greater awareness and understanding around mental health. I drew it this morning before heading to lunch for Mother’s Day and worked on painting it this afternoon using acrylics, watercolor and colored pencil. It felt good to draw today, as I’ve been so busy with other things that I haven’t gotten to it in awhile.

To learn more about mental illness, visit the National Alliance on Mental Illness. And check out the STSML playlist on Spotify, and follow #STSML on Instagram. There’s some really great stuff. Two of my favorites are “I Spend Too Much Time in My Room” by The Band CAMINO and “Torn” covered by Neck Deep. Lastly, I love the quote above by Christopher Robbins to Winnie the Pooh. When I’m feeling self-critical or exhausted from a long work week, it helps reframe my thoughts. I hope it does the same for you.

National Suicide Prevention Hotline: Call 1-800-273-8255 for 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals.